Category Archives: Leonard Cohen – TV & Movies

Almost all the online recaps of the “Patrick Bateman, Bud Fox Hybrid Wannabe” episode of Showtime’s Billions note the inclusion of Leonard Cohen’s You Want It Darker. Excerpts from three such articles follow:

Bryan from the Bronx is surely not going to let his new knowledge about Chuck framing Axe go. With Dake firmly in denial, is this where they’ll involve that new ADA brought in during the premiere episode? Leonard Cohen’s “You Want It Darker” plays out the episode with the following lyrics: “If you are the dealer, I want out of the game.” We’re thinking Bryan wants out of the game.

As Ira is stealing his now fiancee’s heart all over again with the gorgeous engagement ring, courtesy of Mr. Robert Axelrod, Billions steals my heart all over again with this genius episode ending with a song by a true genius. Leonard Cohen’s “swan song” You Want it Darker sums it all up and gives you chills.

It is reported that Gabriel Byrne is to star in Death of a Ladies’ Man, a new drama that takes its title from the Leonard Cohen song and album of the same name, and which is inspired by the late music legend’s work. The Sunday Times reports that the film, an Irish-Canadian co-production, tells the story of a wayward Irish academic living in Canada who is diagnosed with a brain tumour as his second marriage is coming to an end. Returning to Ireland to finally write his novel, the professor falls in love again. Death of a Ladies’ Man is set to feature several of Cohen’s songs and he is said to have given his blessing to the film before his death in November 2016.

Dynamite Chicken is American comedy film from 1971, starring Richard Pryor. “A contemporary probe and commentary of the mores and maladies of our age… With shtick, bits, pieces, girls, some hamburger, a little hair, a lady, some fellas, some religious stuff, and a lot of other things” boasts the films opening titles. An American film from 1972 involving Richard Pryor, and partly funded by and featuring John Lennon and Yoko Ono. It is a collection of subversive comedy sketches and routines relating to the peace movement. Many famous figures appear as themselves in the film, including Joan Baez, Lenny Bruce, Leonard Cohen, Allen Ginsberg, Jimi Hendrix, B.B. King, Malcolm X (from archival footage), Andy Warhol, Al Capp, Muddy Waters, Sha Na Na, Al Goldstein and Yoko herself.

Leonard Cohen’s contribution to the movie is a one minute recitation of “What Am I Doing Here” from Flowers for Hitler accompanied by a black and white photo of Cohen.

Someone You Love [En du elsker], a 2014 film rendered in English and Danish with English subtitles, features a soundtrack, story, and character that bring to mind Leonard Cohen. The following excerpt from Someone You Love (En du elsker): Berlin Review by Jordan Mintzer (Hollywood Reporter: 2/11/2014) outlines the situation:

Featuring The Hobbit’s Mikael Persbrandt as an aging, very Cohen-like musician whose swooning guttural ballads cannot compensate for his lack of real affection, and promising newcomer Sofus Ronnov as the grandson who may finally change the rocker’s ways, this well-acted if predictable story should see theatrical engagements in Scandinavia and parts of Europe, with offshore VOD play and additional fest bids following a world premiere in the Berlinale Special Gala.

With his black coat and hat, slicked gray hair and gravelly performances backed by a chorus of female singers, 60-something Thomas Jacob (Persbrandt) is pretty much a dead-ringer for the Canadian singer-songwriter, save for the fact that he’s a Dane who’s been living in L.A. for decades and is finally returning back to his homeland.

The film is moving, but also more than a little conventional during the winter cold surface, especially in the drawing of Thomas’ persona (his voice, appearance and rock look is perhaps too strongly inspired by Leonard Cohen).

The following two songs from the movie’s soundtrack are clear parallels with Leonard Cohen’s own songs and style:

The Stranger Song: Leonard Cohen and McCabe & Mrs. Miller

The three Cohen songs, “The Stranger Song,” “Sisters of Mercy,” and Winter Lady,” work in perfect harmony with the film and allow Cohen to play the part of an invisible, informal narrator, filling in the blanks left by the naturalistic, show-don’t-tell, style of the film. As nothing much is offered by the film’s dialogue in the way of back-stories, motivations and desires, it is left to Cohen and his songs. And as McCabe and Mrs. Miller swoon across with the film’s patient, meditative narrative, a larger picture emerges, like pieces of a puzzle falling into place.

While the significance of Cohen’s music for Altman’s 1971 film, McCabe & Mrs. Miller, is an often-addressed cinematic topic, this exposition is especially well written and insightful. Highly recommended.

Note: Originally posted Dec 11, 2013 at DrHGuy.com, a predecessor of Cohencentric

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A Medical Note On The Death Of Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen’s Lost Album – Songs For Rebecca

Songs For Rebecca, a 1970s Leonard Cohen-John Lissauer project, was abruptly abandoned after several songs were recorded. Find out how it began & ended, which songs were recorded & what happened to them, and listen to a recording of a live performance of those songs: Leonard Cohen’s Lost Album: Songs For Rebecca

Leonard Cohen’s Passionate Version Of “So Long, Marianne”

Leonard Cohen has performed many versions of "So Long, Marianne." The 1993 Oslo concert rendition includes not only a radically different arrangement but also two verses not found on any album. The impact is dramatic.

Leonard Cohen On His Songs

In Memory Of Leonard Cohen

Since Leonard Cohen's death Nov 7, 2016, I've developed a list of selected articles and posts that are especially informative, gracious, interesting, or evocative. The complete list with live links can be found at In Memory Of Leonard Cohen

In Memory Of Marianne Ihlen, Leonard Cohen’s Muse

Marianne Ihlen, immortalized in “So Long, Marianne,” died July 28, 2016. She was a frequent visitor to this site and much beloved. Revealing posts about her and Leonard can be found at

The Cohen-Dylan Interface

The only moment that you can live here comfortably in these absolutely irreconcilable conflicts is in this moment when you embrace it all and you say 'Look, I don’t understand a fucking thing at all – Hallelujah!'

Leonard Cohen

Leonard Cohen’s Montreal

The best articles about Leonard Cohen’s Montreal homes and haunts as well as videos and a list of pertinent landmarks.